The Asbestos case

•In 1996, the French Government adopted a decree banning the use and import of asbestos and products containing asbestos, for the purposes of protecting the consumers, workers, and the manufacturers, on domestic market. The authorities justified their ban on public interest and health.

•Canada which was a major exporter of asbestos to France complained that due to this ban Canada had lost 4000 jobs and argued that asbestos posed no great threat to human life and health.[Art. XX [b]